


Figuring It Out

by penandcheek



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, ilovethisshipsomuch, imgonnacry, jugheaddeservesbetter, sodoesbetty
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-07
Updated: 2017-03-08
Packaged: 2018-09-25 03:05:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 11,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9800093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/penandcheek/pseuds/penandcheek
Summary: Set right after episode 1x04. Jughead moves in with Betty.Soon, the horsemen of Riverdale discover that the murder of Jason Blossom was only the beginning.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I ran out of fixes to read, so I'm writing one.

The last thing Betty Cooper expected when she went out on her nightly jog, was to find Jughead Jones sleeping on a park bench, head rested on a bulky backpack. 

"Juggie? What the hell are you doing here?" she asked, wide eyed. Jughead blinked blearily.

"Betty," he breathed. He cursed under his breath. He had kept this secret for so long, only to have it unearthed now, just as they were getting close again.

"What are you doing here? Oh my god, let's get you home," Betty fussed. Her thoughts were jumping around in her brain. What was Jughead doing on a park bench at 9pm. Was he kicked out? For the love of god, why couldn't she remember his address? She had already begun to tug him off the bench, when he stopped her.

"Betty, wait. I have to stay here tonight. I got kicked out. It's ok, my parents will let me back in tomorrow. You know how parents are," he said, offering his classic careless smile.

She paused, her face hidden in the shadows cast by the street lamp. 

"Betty?" Jughead asked, sure that she would be disappointed in him. She lifted her head, her tears glistening in the dim light.

"How long, Juggie?" she managed to croak out.

"How long what?"

"How long have you been without a place to stay?"

Jughead sighed. He knew Betty was smart. He knew she would figure it out eventually. 

"Since the night the drive-in closed."

This brought out a fresh round of tears from Betty, which made Jughead feel terrible. He carefully held her hand, and stroked her palm in comfort. 

After a few moments, Betty whipped around to face Jughead, with a steely determination set in her eyes. 

"Come on Juggie," she said as she grabbed his hand and pulled him in the direction to her house.

"We're going home."  
\---------------------------------------------------------------

"Absolutely not," Alice Cooper said sternly.

"There is absolutely no way that I can allow him to stay in our house.

"But mom, he has no where to go," Betty tried to plead to her parents.

Alice was about to respond with a scathing remark about Jughead, when Hal Cooper, who had been unusually silent throughout the entire exchange, raised his hand to stop her.

"I'll allow it," he said.

"What!" exclaimed his wife, above the excited cheering of their daughter. 

"Now normally I wouldn't agree to this. However, I cannot forgot the debt we owe to his father, for what he had done for us."

The temperature in the Cooper's family room had dropped drastically. 

The ties between the Jones' and the Coopers's were the worst kept secret in Riverdale, and no matter how hard Alice had tried to sweep it under the rug, everyone knew. They knew that Jughead's dad had found Polly Cooper standing on the top ledge of the town hall, and talked her down from it. She later confirmed what everyobody had already assumed; that she was going to jump.

Alice's lips thinned. She seemed to be facing an internal battle. 

"You can stay here until graduation. You're not allowed to sleep in Betty's room, and when you're in there, the door must be left wide open. If your father brings any trouble to this part of town, you're out. Is that understood?" Alice spoke in a rush. Jughead could only nod stiffly. She swept past him and inclined her head in a brief acknowledgement before sweeping up the stairs, her husband not far behind.

Now left alone, Betty pulled Juggie into a hug. She couldn't stop the feeling of relief from washing over her, and the warm thrumming of his heart made her stomach twinge. 

After a few moments, she led him upstairs, into the guest room. Jughead turned to face her in the doorway, and she held his hands in hers. Giving a light squeeze, she leaned up and whispered in his ear, before disappearing through a door directly opposite from his. Hug head dropped his backpack at the foot of his new bed, and collapsed into the mattress. He pondered the events of the day, and wondered how within the span of two hours his life could change so much. He wondered why within the moments of a five second hug, he could feel so deliriously happy.

He rolled over and shut his eyes.

"Goodnight."


	2. .2

When Jughead woke up, he was confused as to why his bedsheets were a hideous floral pattern. As the fog of sleep faded, the events of the day before came rushing back. He was living with Betty now. He got up and rushed into the bathroom to get ready for the day. There, he found a towel folded neatly with his name on it. He quickly bathed, cleaned his teeth and changed, and was soon walking down the stairs, weary with anticipation. 

He found the Cooper's in the kitchen, hanging breakfast. He bid them all a good morning, but before he could leave, Betty sat him down with a large stack of pancakes in front of him. 

As he awkwardly began to eat, with Alice watching him like a hawk, Mr Cooper cleared his throat.

"Now, Jughead. As you are aware, this family has dealt with their fair share of scandal in Riverdale, and we have no need for anymore. You understand that by taking you in, we are under threat of a lot of scrutiny, so it would be much appreciated if neither you nor Betty would mention this to anyone," he said.

Jughead and Betty nodded.

"Excellent. Now get going you two." He stood up and left the table. Betty offered Jughead a small smile and signaled at him to follow her up the stairs. So he complied.

\---------------------------------------------------------------

Before he was allowed to enter her room, Betty quickly shit the windows and drew the curtains. 'Archie,' she mouthed. She offered him her chair while she sat on her bed, and the two shared a comfortable silence.

"Thank you," Jughead said suddenly. Betty smiled wide.

"Of course Juggie, anytime," she replied.

"Now that you're here, we can make even more progress on the investigation of Jason Blossom. Between the two of us top notch investigative journalists, we'll have the truth unravelled in no time." She spoke with such a sparkle in her eyes, that there was no way Jughead could even consider saying no. So the Blue and Gold team got down to work.

Or at least, Betty tried. She just couldn't help noticing the way, Jughead's eyebrow furrowed when he was stuck on something, or the way he readjusted his beanie whenever he knew he would be working on something for some time. She couldn't help noticing how cute his moles were, and how nice his eyes looked when they were soft and relaxed and happy. 

Despite the many distractions, they had made a lot of progress, with a full list of people to interview, and even a plan to go down to the lake tomorrow and investigate the scene more, now that the police were releasing the area back to the public. 

Suddenly, Betty's phone buzzed with a text, and her eyes went wide as soon as she read it. She lunged for Jughead and pulled him down along with her. 

"Stay down," she whispered to Jughead. She opened the phone and texted Archie back.

'Just left the house, won't come back until later'  
'Ok'

She breathed a sigh of relief. That was close. She looked at Jughead. The blush on his cheeks made her realise the compromising position that they were in. She was straddling him, with her arms around him, and their faces bent close together. Blinking a few times, she quickly let him go.

"S-sorry," she stuttered. 

He offered her a crooked smile.

"That's ok. Well uhm, I'll see you tonight for dinner?"

"Yea definitely," she replied a bit too quickly.

He left the room and Betty, wondering why she was so giddy all of a sudden.

As soon as Jughead returned to his room, there was no hope of stopping that smile that spread across his face.


	3. .3

On Monday, Betty and Jughead walked to school together. They had spent the weekend scouring the lake for any trace of a clue that would provide them with a lead, but it had gotten dark, so they eventually went home empty handed. This didn't discourage them, however; there was a whole section of the lake they hadn't explored yet, and they promised to return in a couple of days. 

They had managed to slip out extra early, so that they wouldn't bump into Archie, who was bound to be suspicious. Thus, they had made it to school thirty minutes earlier than normal, and the halls were deserted. This gave them an opportunity to just talk, about anything and everything, and they did. They talked until they forgot the time. And they talked until they had wandered outside into the courtyard. And yet, no matter how much they talked, they couldn't ignore the tingles that shot through their arm, every time their hands would brush. When her ponytail came loose, Betty couldn't help but feel her neck grow hot, when Jughead tied it back up for her, his fingers long and sure. Jughead was sure he would never forget the smell of Betty's hair, like strawberry, because of her shampoo. Or the way her silky, golden strands spilled over his hand. He couldn't explain his inexplicable urge to kiss the crown of her head when he was done. Then, the moment of intimacy was interrupted by one, Veronica Lodge, who came bounding over.

"Hey guys!" she chirped, unaware of the blush Jughead was fighting back, or the slow, deep breaths Betty was taking to try and slow the erratic beating of her heart.

"Hey Ronnie," Betty responded breathlessly.

Veronica grabbed Betty's at and linked it with hers. 

"Well, now I'm gonna steal Betty for a minute, ok? We have ver many important things to discuss. See you later Jughead," she spoke over her shoulder whilst leading Betty away. 

"See you at Pops after school?" Betty asked.

"Your treat," Jughead replied, a smile breaking out on both their faces, before Betty finally turned away, Jughead began walking back to the school.

\---------------------------------------------------------------

Archie Andrews caught up to Jughead.

"Hey man, are you ok?" Jughead asked, noticing the odd look on the redhead's face. He had heard about what happened with Miss Grundy, and he would be lying if he said he wasn't relieved that she was finally out of Archie's life.

"Yeah I'm ok. Hey do you know what's going on with Betty? I've been trying to reach her all weekend, and she hasn't answered any of my calls. Do you think she's mad at me?" 

Jughead couldn't help but feel a twinge of happiness. Betty Cooper had blown off Archie Andrews, her longtime crush, to wade in mud with him, Jughead Jones.

He caught her eye across the hallway, and they shared a secretive smile. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------

The girl next door, slunk into the booth, where the mysterious writer was sitting. He, like always, was typing away furiously, brows furrowed in concentration. 

'Riverdale's very own "In Cold Blood"' he had once told her. 

Suddenly, he stopped, and turned to face Betty.

"Bets? Why did you blow off Archie to hang out with me. He is your best friend," he asked, biting his lip.

She grabbed his hand and held it under the booth.

"You're my best friend."


	4. .4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for the nice comments!!

"Where are we going Jughead?" asked Betty, as she followed Jughead into a very familiar portion of the woods. He seemed very pleased about something, but refused to tell her anything about it, insisting it was a 'surprise'. He stopped suddenly, and turned to face her, a childish grin on his face.

"Close your eyes," he instructed. He took her hand and lead her forward a few steps.

"Ok, now, open your eyes."

Betty complied, and when she saw what was in front of her she gasped.

"Oh Juggie," she whispered, tears rushing into her eyes. 

"How did you find this place?"

It was the treehouse that Archie, Betty and Jughead had spent many summers in, when they were just children.  
It looked a bit old, but Betty was surprised by the good condition it was kept in. Jughead guided her in, Betty was too overwhelmed by feelings of nostalgia. 

"I brought in some clean blankets and snacks yesterday", Jughead explained. 

"I used to come sleep here when there was really no place for me to stay."

The smile dropped off Betty's face. She held his hand, and gestured for him to continue. So he did.

"When I was fourteen, mom got a job offer in Boston. It was finally her chance to escape from Riverdale so she seized the opportunity. By morning, she had packed all her things, and she took Jellybean with her. There was no way she could leave her precious baby behind," he said bitterly.

"After that, dad got depressed and got involved in that stupid gang. After a year, I ran away. They started trying to make me do things I didn't want to do. I hear news of Jellybean occasionally. She's doing well in school, and she just started taking piano lessons. Dad gives me some money every month, to buy food and clothes and other things. It's a fair exchange, I suppose, after what he's done."

Betty's heart hurt for Jughead. She couldn't believe his parents, his mother for abandoning her only son, and his father, for being so irresponsible. Jughead Jones III was the bravest man in the world. She swallowed the big lump in her throat. Her hands reached out to hold Jughead's face, and forced him to look at her, an action he had been avoiding throughout his story. She gently caressed his cheek and pressed her forehead to his, wrapping her arms around him.

He hugged her back, just as tightly. All he could focus on was how amazing she was, and how easily she was able to comfort him, no words necessary. And how close their lips were, if he were to just lean forward slightly, they could touch.

Betty gazed at him through her long eyelashes. Biting her lip, she knelt down, and patted the area next to her. They both layed down and made themselves comfortable in the heap of blankets and pillows. Without even saying a word, Jughead tucked Betty close to him, wrapping her arms around him and tangling their legs together. Betty snuggled into his chest, and kissed the spot right underneath his chin. Jughead pressed a light peck to Betty's forehead, and they just layed there, breathing each other in, the warmth of moonlight washing over the both of them, before they drifted off to sleep.


	5. .5

Since the events of the treehouse, the tension between Jughead and Betty had shifted irrevocably. Whilst they hadn't talked about it, Betty and Jughead seemed to grow impossibly closer. Jughead hadn't stopped touching Betty, whether it was a light brush of the arm, or just simply holding her hand. Betty couldn't stop speaking to him, and even when they were apart, she kept his phone busy with silly texts and pictures (not that he would ever mind, of course).

That was how Jughead and Betty ended up on the floor in Betty's room, discussing their newest lead on the murder of Jason Blossom. Jughead was laying down, with his head on Betty's lap, and Betty was adjusting and readjusting his adorable beanie, so she could stroke his dark hair. They were so tangled up in each other, that they failed to notice that Betty had forgotten to draw the curtains, or that Archie came home early from his band practice that day.

\---------------------------------------------------------------

The last thing Archie expected to see when he came home that day, was Betty, snuggled up and oblivious with somebody that he couldn't make out. As he stepped forward to get a closer look, Betty bolted up, drew the curtains, and along with the mystery stranger, left the room.

Confusion bubbled up inside Archie followed by a swell of jealousy. That was definitely a male. The height and build of the shadow confirmed it. What was Betty doing with a guy in her room? Why did Alice Cooper allow him into the house, let alone Betty's room? Who was he to Betty? A boyfriend? 

By now Archie was clenching his fists so tight that his knuckles were turning white. You see, now that Ms Grundy was out of the picture, and Veronica made it very clear that she would not jeopardise her friendship with Betty, there was nothing stopping them from being together anymore. For the first time in a long time, Betty no longer had a desperation to be with him, which made him want her all the more. Everything was finally falling into place, until today. He had many questions, but the one he wanted answered the most?

Who was that guy?


	6. .6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that Jughead is canonically asexual. However, as an aspiring writer, I want to push my boundaries, and writing about sex has never been my strong points. This is the longest fic I've ever written, and I want to see how far I can take the Betty/Jughead relationship. I'm so sorry if I offend anyone, but it is not and never will be, my intention. I have planned for an upcoming sexual encounter, so watch out for that!

Jughead hated Riverdale. He knew from the moment his mother left him with nothing, that one day, he too would take off as soon as the chance arose. Usually Riverdale was tolerable, and he had actually begun to enjoy himself, especially with the now frequent apprearance of a blonde haired angel.

But especially today, he hated Riverdale, or rather, the simple minds of those who resided. It was all Reggie Mantle's fault. Reggie Mantle who would peak in high school, and stay here the rest of his life. Reggio Mantle who would be middle aged and stuck in his glory days, because the best days of his life stopped after he graduated. He absolutely despised Reggie Mantle.

Jughead was no stranger to the torment bestowed on him, usually headed by Reggie Mantle, and had gotten rather good at ignoring it, but today it had a taken a different turn. Instead of the classic jeering, Jughead had gotten accustomed to, they had cornered him at lunch. Things only escalated from there, and before he knew it, he had been knocked to the ground, winded, and eye throbbing. Luckily, they had left right after that, but now Jughead was sitting behind the school building, nursing a bruised eye, and some broken pride. 

It was as if didn't realise that he had feelings too. That he was more than sarcastic quips, intimidating cleverness, and observational skills. He was human, and he could feel pain. He had, at one time, numbed himself to escape the harsh realities of his life, but now that he was happy and settled, he had begun to thaw out. Of course, there would always be people like Reggie Mantle and his goons to knock a sense of reality back into you. 

Betty couldn't find Jughead anywhere. She had checked the news room, the library and all of his usual hangouts. She circled around the back of the school, anxious to know where he ran off to, when she almost tripped over... Jughead? He bolted up.

"Juggie? God, I've been looking for you everywhere," she paused abruptly.

"Juggie, what happened to your eye?" 

Jughead looked away. Betty raised a hand to caress his face and stroke the bruise over his eyes.

"Reggie?" 

He nodded. Betty felt rage pulse through her, not unlike the rage she felt at Chuck. It must have showed on her face, because Jughead wrapped his arms around her, raising his lips to her ear.

"It's ok Betts. I'm fine."

"You shouldn't have to go through this. They toss you into a label of what you are based on how you look, but if any those idiots actually tried to get to know you, they would see what I see," she said. By now, they were pressed up against each other, their heads only slightly pulled back so Betty could look Jughead in the eye. 

"I see you Juggie. I see the universe in your mind, the courage in your heart. I see the twinkle in your eyes, the ambition you have. I see the beauty that you carry Jughead Jones, I see you."

Jughead felt as if he couldn't breathe.

"You, Betty Cooper, are the best thing to ever happen to me. "

Betty blushed a pretty pink and looked down. She shook her head. 

"No, seriously. Betts, who knows where I would've ended up if you hadn't picked me up. You're so incredibly selfless and kind and you always put others before yourself. You're incredibly strong and determined. You're the best Betty."

And just like that, two people, one dark, one light fell deeply, completely, helplessly in love. 

And just like that, light and dark met, their lips connecting in the dingy back corner of a high school.

\---------------------------------------------------------------

They lips moved together, open mouthed and warm. They broke apart to breathe for only a split second, before Jughead attached his lips to Betty's neck. The brush of his lips on her neck, caused her to giggle breathlessly. This, of course, turned into hysterical laughter from both Jughead and Betty, all whilst clutching each other. 

"Come on," said Jughead leading Betty away from the school.

"Lets go home." 

And they did just that, running home with a sparkle in their eyes, and love in their hearts.

Unbeknownst to them, a girl, with a head full of fiery red hair, was watching them, stood hidden in the shadows.


	7. .7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so there is explicit content in this chapter. You have been warned :)

Betty Cooper could not believe that her mom had agreed to a cruise her father had won in a raffle. What was more unbelievable, was that they had agreed to leave Jughead and Betty alone in a house for three days. 

"No parties, and if I hear that anything suspicious went down when we were away, Jughead's out, is that understood?"

Jughead and Betty nodded. Alice and Hal Cooper went into the car, and pulled out of the driveway, Alice's eyes trained on them until they were out of sight. 

Betty and Jughead looked at each other and smiled.

\---------------------------------------------------------------

Blue and Gold were lying on his bed, bodies intertwined.

"You know what we should do next?"

"What."

"Sit in your room with the door closed."

This made her crack a smile.

"Or, we could just, I don't know, do this?"

She connected her lips with his in a sweet kiss.

"Sounds like a plan."

Jughead loved to kiss Betty. She tasted like strawberry milkshake and when they kissed he felt so content. He felt a happiness he didn't even know he was capable of. The kissing soon escalated, with Jughead's hand trailing up and down her body, earning excited mewls from Betty. With a groan, he broke apart.

"Betty, I think we should stop."

"What if I don't want to stop," she replied. Jughead blushed a deep shade of red.

"W-what?" Jughead asked, unsure if he had heard that right. 

"Juggie, I want to be with you. If you want me, that is," she added quickly. 

"Betty, there is no universe that exists where I'll ever not want you. Are you sure about this?" 

"Yes."

Jughead stood up. He unzipped his bag, dug around the bottom of his bag, and pulled out a condom. He had gotten a couple from a health class, but he never thought he would actually use them. He dove back into the bed and kissed Betty firmly. 

Slowly, they began to undress, a hoodie on the floor, a pair of jeans tossed haphazardly on a chair, until they were both fully undressed. Still kissing each other, Jughead reached up to tug his beanie off, until Betty stopped him, her face flushed sheepishly. Jughead raised his eyebrows playfully, but kept the beanie on anyway.

Jughead kissed every inch of her body, and the closer he got to her core, the more heat he could feel build in him. It certainly didn't help that Betty was squirming underneath him.

"Betty, it's my first time."

"Mine too."

"Are you sure about this? Are you sure that this is what you want?"

"More than anything."

And with that, he thrust in, the sensation making him grit his teeth. Betty cried out at the sudden intrusion, and the slight stinging sensation that came with it. Jughead stayed as still as he could, waiting so that she could adjust to him. After a moment, she moved against him, prompting him to rock slowly into her. 

"Ugh, Juggie. Oh god, mmhm, uhhhh."

It took all of Jughead's self control not to lose it at the noises Betty was making. Betty felt a little discomfort, but that soon made way to pleasure.

"Faster Juggie," she moaned, desperate to feel more of him. Jughead started picking up his pace, causing both of them to breathe heavier, and for Betty's moans to turn into screams. All that could be heard were the sounds of skin so lapping against each other, and the muffled screams of pleasure coming from Betty.

Betty could feel herself coming undone.

"Jughead... I'm going to... ugh.."

"Me too Betty," Jughead groaned out. Suddenly, Betty felt a hot coil in her lower abdomen, before she completely unraveled, letting out one final cry. Thrusting a few more times, Jughead fell into his own release, his arms going slack, collapsing beside her. He quickly took off the condom and tossed it into the trash can next to him.

Jughead looked over at Betty, scanning her face for any trace of regret, or unease. He couldn't find any. Instead, she snuggled close to him, offering him a sleepy smile.

"Juggie," she whispered, biting her swollen lips.

"I love you."

His breath hitched, and he gazed at her beautiful, glistening body. His arms coiled around her tightly, and pulled her close to him. He peppered her face with kisses causing her to giggle, and him to smile at the melodious sound.

"I love you too Betts. So much."


	8. .8

It was quite a sight to see, if one were to walk into the Cooper family room that morning. One would see the cream couches, and the pristine rug that Alice Cooper had so meticulously selected. They would see Betty Cooper, sitting in the lap of Jughead Jones, who had his face snuggled into her neck, coming back up occasionally to eat bites of the plate of waffles Betty was holding. Betty, clad only in Juggie's hoodie, leaned against him, body curved into his. They lazed around the whole morning. It was like a dream they never wanted to wake from. 

Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

"Who could that be? We're not expecting anyone," Betty said curiously. Jughead shrugged. 

"I'm not sure," replied Jughead. He stood up to and opened the door. 

Standing there were two people, hair as red as the dusk, Archie Andrews and Cheryl Blossom.

"Gasp! Looks at this little scandal."

\---------------------------------------------------------------

The sound of the clock ticking was sure to make her go insane, decided Betty. The shock of seeing Archie and Cheryl showing up at her house, had caused her to panic, and invite them in. Now they were all sitting on the couch, Betty biting her lips nervously, Archie deep in though, Jughead uncaring, and Cheryl, looking as if Christmas had come early. 

"So," Cheryl spoke, effectively breaking the silence. 

"Jughead, was it? What are you doing at B's house at nine in the morning."

This made Archie perk up with interest and Betty heart start to race.

"What are you doing here at nine in the morning, Carrie Bloom?" Jughead retorted. 

"Touchy," Cheryl tutted.

"But if you must know, me and my good friend Archie here, just wanted to come stop by and say hello."

"I, too came to stop by and say hello. What a coincidence," Jughead deadpanned.

Archie's eyebrows furrowed. What exactly was Jughead doing here so early? Why was Betty wearing his hoodie?

"Betty, I have a lot of hoodies you can borrow, if you want," gesturing to her choice of clothing. Betty fought back a blush with every bit of her willpower.

"No thanks Archie, I'm good with this one," she replied, so confidently that it made Archie's heart stutter. She had always jumped at the chance to wear his clothes, until recently that was. 

Meanwhile, Jughead could hardly hold back a smile. She had just refused Archie, in favour of him. Jughead had to admit, that there was still a very small part of him that was afraid of losing Betty to Archie. He didn't want to seem mediocre in comparison. However, that feeling was slowly starting to fade away.

Cheryl took out her phone and started texting furiously, a satisfied smirk on her face, which made Betty nervous.

"Cheryl, what are you doing?" she asked.

Without looking up from her phone, Cheryl replied.

"Inviting Ronnie and Kevin over. We're having ourselves a little soirée."


	9. .9

Veronica Lodge had a powerful instinct. It was strong and usually dight. Right now, her instinct was that something was going on that she had not been informed about. From the tension evident in Betty, to the satisfied smirk on Cheryl's face, there was indeed something brewing underneath the surface. She wanted to know what, so she started with the simplest and most obvious question.

"Betty, where did you get that adorable hoodie? It's so hipster chic, and so not your usual style," she interrogated. To her surprise, it was Archie who answered, not Betty. 

"It's Jughead's," he gritted out. This spiked Veronica's interest. She waited a few moments before swivelling around to Betty.

"Betty can I borrow some lip gloss?I need an touch up," she asked. Betty raised an eyebrow at her immaculate lips, but nodded anyway, leading Veronica up the stairs. 

As soon as they were out of sight, Veronica confronted Betty.

"So, what's with you and Jughead," she asked. Betty turned bright red and opened her mouth to deny her relationship with Jughead, but found that she couldn't. Quite frankly, she didn't want to deny her relationship with Jughead. Her slight pause had not gone unnoticed by the observant Veronica.

"There is isn't there? Are you guys together?" 

Betty stayed quiet once again, unsure of what to say, but Veronica had already figured it out. 

"You are aren't you?"

"Please don't tell anybody. We had agreed on not letting anybody know, at least for now," Betty pleaded.

"Relax Betty, I won't tell anyone. But you have to promise me that you will tell me every single juicy little detail." 

Betty nodded, relieved.

"Anyways, I wasn't lying when I said I needed some lip gloss."

"Down the hall."

"Thank you."

Just as Veronica had turned to walk away, Jughead came scrambling up the stairs.

"Hey, I was just going to check on you. Everything ok?" he asked, concerned.

"Everything's fine... but Ronnie knows about us. She sort of figured it out. Is that alright?" she asked nervously.

Jughead smiled.

"I'm not ashamed of our relationship Betty. If you're ok with it, then I'm ok with it." 

She took his head in her hands and gently placed a kiss on his forehead.

"I'm more than ok with it," she said, smiling wide. They were abruptly broken apart when Veronica called out for Betty. It took a minute of confusion, before that quickly turned into horror when they realised where the sound came from.

Jughead's room.

They rushed down the hallway, finding Veronica standing in the centre of the room, eyes wide. She turned to face them.

"You better explain this to me, and don't you dare leave anything out."

\---------------------------------------------------------------

After they had explained to Veronica the whole story, they sat in a tense silence. This was broken when Veronica wordlessly stood up and gave Jughead a hug.

"If there's anything I can do, please don't hesitate to ask."

"Thanks Ronnie," Jughead whispered, returning her hug.

"Actually, could you not mention this to anyone? I don't want to hang out my dirty laundry for all of Riverdale to see." She nodded.

"My lips are sealed."

 

They were at the bottom of the stairs when Cheryl piped up.

"Well that took an awfully long time. Hope you weren't exchanging secrets or something without me."

"We would never."


	10. .10

Everything seemed back to normal in Riverdale. Hal and Alice Cooper had come back from their cruise, and paranoia swept over the town once more. Everything was just as it always was. Except for two things.

One, Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones seemed to have grown very close, and yet were keeping tight lipped about the whole situation (naturally prompting everybody in Riverdale to be even more curious). Veronica, who was as inquisitive as the best of them, seemed to be nonchalant about the whole situation.

Two, Archie Andrews and Cheryl Blossom were spending an awful amount of time together. Whispers in the community were plentiful. Some said that Cheryl was using Archie as a replacement for her brother, due to their likeness. Others speculated that they were simply dating. Either way, the inhabitants of Riverdale couldn't have possibly known what was to come.

\---------------------------------------------------------------

Cheryl snapped her book shut with a loud thud. 

"Archie, what a coincidence," Cheryl crooned.

"Why am I here Cheryl?" Archie asked exasperatedly. She had called him out of nowhere requesting a meeting. He had come only so she would stop bothering him.

Cheryl lifted an eyebrow.

"Archie, you like Betty," she stated bluntly. Archie opened his mouth to deny it, but he knew he couldn't. Cheryl was too smart for that, and she already knew the truth. He simply nodded. She smiled, pleased.

"Well then, I suggest you stick around. I'll bet my Cherryliscious Red lipstick you'll be very interest at what secrets I've uncovered."

"What is it then?" 

Cheryl tutted and wagged her finger at him. 

"I don't just give things out for free. Besides, I know more than one. Blue and Gold aren't the only one's who've been doing some investigative work."

"Well what do you want?" Cheryl narrowed her eyes at him. 

"I want your complete cooperation, and unwavering loyalty."

Archie's brows furrowed, confused. He wanted to ask why, but from the look on Cheryl's face, he doubted he would get a clear answer. Instead, he nodded. Cheryl straightened. 

"Betty and Jughead are dating."

Archie froze. It wasn't possible, it just wasn't. 

"That can't be true. They're just friends."

Cheryl rolled her eyes.

"Stop being so naive, it's getting old. Besides I saw it with my own eyes. You can deny it all you want, but it won't change the truth."

"Well why do you care anyway! It's not as if you like Jughead or Betty. Why are you getting involved? Why are you involving me?" he argued, overwhelmed by the twisting in his gut.

For the first time, Cheryl's composed facade, crumbled slightly. 

"Because," she said, any trace of arrogance or amusement gone.

"There is no way in hell I am losing another brother to another Cooper."


	11. .11

"The plan?"

"Get Gladys Jones back to Riverdale."

\---------------------------------------------------------------

"Are we sure this is legal?" Betty whispered. Jughead was looking through several different records of the Blossoms.

"No, but we did try to do this the polite way, and they didn't let us in."

Betty and Jughead had snuck into the town hall after hours in an attempt to dig up some dirt on the Blossom's. So far, they had looked through every single document and file, and had resorted to flipping through old yearbooks with Clifford Blossom in them, as he grew up in Riverdale. They sat in silence flipping page after page until finally, a breakthrough.

"Juggie? You might want to see this."

Jughead went over to Betty, peering over her shoulder at the large photo her eyes were glued to. He froze in shock. It was a picture of Hal and Alice Cooper, with their arms around each other, and Clifford Blossom and Gladys Jones, engaged in a passionate liplock.

The gears in Jughead's mind started turning. Nobody had told them of the connections running between his mother and Cheryl's father. Usually, that wouldn't arouse any suspicion, but in a town like Riverdale, everybody knew everything. Especially with people as influential as the Blossom family. Somebody had been keeping secrets, something beyond a high school romance.

"What do we do now?"

Jughead turned to face Betty.

"It's time to talk to your dad."

\---------------------------------------------------------------

"How dare you!" Hal's voice rang out.

"How dare you talk to me like that! I let you sleep in my house, eat my food. And you come here and-"

"Dad. Answer the question. Why didn't you tell anyone that Gladys and Clifford were romantically involved?" Betty pushed. Hal's eyes flickered in equal parts of fear and anger. 

"I will not be talked to like that, Betty. Drop it now or you'll be cast out along with him."

Jughead stepped forward.

"Mr Cooper, a boy is dead. Jason Blossom was shot and killed, and it has something to do with my mother, and I deserve to know."

Hal collapsed in his chair, eyes closed in defeat. It seemed as if he had been holding something in for a very long time. He let a haggered sigh.

"Gladys and Clifford were not destined to last. They came together hot and full of passion, but they burned out just as quickly. Clifford left to go to college, and he would return occasionally for the summer. One summer, became back and announced that his wife was pregnant with twins. He was afraid, unsure if he was ready to be a father. Gladys and Clifford soon "reunited". Nine months later, Clifford didn't just have two children, he had three," Hal spoke, staring unwaveringly at Jughead.

Jughead's mouth turned dry. 

"That's not possible, I don't even look anything like them!"

Hal spoke, a little more forcefully this time.

"Sure you weren't born with that shock of red hair. But without it, the resemblance is there. You understand why I kept the secret don't you. Clifford Blossom is a very powerful man, and only a few of us knew, including Gladys' parents. He made very sure that we all kept quiet. That man has a lot to lose."

Jughead struggled to process everything. His real father, his biological father, was Clifford Blossom. His mother had something to do with Jason Blossom's death. So did he. He felt so confused he could cry. 

"Do you know why she left?" Betty asked suddenly. 

"Did she really have a job offer in Boston?"

"That, I don't know. But I am almost positive that Gladys Jones wouldn't leave for something as simple as a job offer. Like the rest of us, too many ties here."

Betty and Jughead looked at each other, both thinking the same thing.

If she didn't leave for a job offer, where and why did she go?


	12. .12

Jughead shifted in his seat. Ever since he found out the truth, he had been especially restless, wanting, yet unable to do anything. He wanted to find his mother. He wanted see Mr Blssom. He wanted the truth. Yet, no one would allow him any of these requests.

"It's ok. These things can't come all at once. We'll find out the truth, I promise," Betty had said. He was ever so grateful for Betty. He checked his watch. It was almost time for cheer practice to be over. They had planned to walk home together, so that Jughead could get some extra work done at school. 

Suddenly, he heard the door of the Blue and Gold newspaper room creak open. His head shot up immediately, thinking it was Betty, but sank back down again when he saw who it really was. Cheryl Blossom. His half sister. His eyes flickered back to his laptop. Without looking at her, he spoke.

"Can I help you Blossom?"

"You're a Blossom too, so don't use that tone with me."

He looked up, completely interested now. How on earth did she know? He swallowed. He observed Cheryl's face. She looked really genuinely nervous. 

"I know that Hal Cooper finally cracked. They all do eventually. He's lucky daddy doesn't know," her voice wavered. Jughead kept quiet, so she kept going.

"You're my brother. That makes you important to me. I already lost my brother. We lost our brother. I don't want to lose you too."

"Why are you here? What do you want?"

She took a deep breath to regain her composure. Her spine straightened, her face returned to its usual cool facade.

"The same thing you and Goldilocks want. To find out who killed my brother. "

Jughead was utterly speechless. Luckily, Cheryl spoke for him. She slid two passes across the table. 

"What's this?" he asked tentatively.

"Two invitations to my family's mansion back in Pembrooke. We can discuss everything then. If you and Cooper decide to join me, come." With one final look and Jughead, she swept out of the room, just as Betty was coming in. 

"What the hell was Cheryl Blossom doing here?" she questioned. 

In answer, Jughead held up the two invitations.

\---------------------------------------------------------------

"Make sure you stay safe Archie. Please don't get into any trouble," Fred Andrews told his son. Archie had an overnight bag slung over his shoulder.

"I won't dad, I promise," he offered. Fred smiled at his son, and nodded. Archie turned around to step out of the front door, fingers brushing against an important invitation in his pocket.

He stepped into a taxi.

"Where to?"

"Pembrooke."


	13. .13

Cheryl descended slowly and elegantly from a grand staircase, her long dress trailing behind her.

"Welcome, esteemed guests, to Pembrooke. If you all will follow me, I will show you to your rooms. After that, we will all gather in the lounge for light refreshments. There we will discuss the reason I have brought you all here tonight."

With that, Chery swept around and began to walk, the rest following unsurely behind her. Betty and Jughead shared a look. Upon arriving to Pembrooke, they had found out that they weren't the only ones Cheryl had invited. Veronica, Kevin and Archie were also there. 

"She's too unpredictable," Jughead whispered to Betty, trailing behind the group a little.

"We shouldn't have come."

"We had to. So far, we've only found questions not answers. Cheryl knows more than she's letting on, and we have to find out". She wound her hand around his. 

"Don't worry, no matter what we're in this together," Betty reassured, smiling. Jughead smiled at her back, and they basked in the moment. This was broken when Archie, who had noticed that they were being secretive (and in love), bounded over to them, sectioning himself right in between them, causing them to break apart relunctantly.

The trio walked in an awkward silence, until Cheryl gestured at the four rooms, along an enormous corridor. She pointed at the largest, and grandest one.

"This one is mine. The rest of you may split yourselves among the remaining three. I will leave you some time before you will be called out again," she said before disappearing into her room.

Veronica and Kevin instantly clung onto one another, Veronica shooting Betty and Jughead a sly wink. Kevin and Veronica waltzed into one of the rooms, blissfully unaware of the tension amongst the other three members of the group. 

"Do you want to room together?" asked Archie. Betty paled, then shook her head. 

"I think Jughead and I have already agreed to room together, sorry Archie." 

With that, she grabbed Jughead's hand and flew into a room, door closing behind them. Breathing heavily, Jughead stepped close to Betty, nuzzling his forehead on hers. They smiled excitedly, before Betty wound her arms around him, and they leaned in for a kiss.

Meanwhile, Archie who was occupying the last room, balled his fists and dug them into the pillows in frustration. He scowled terribly. There was no way he was losing Betty to Jughead.

\---------------------------------------------------------------

The gang sat still in the red leather couches, as Cheryl finally joined them.

"Thank you all for joining me this evening. You are here because you are the people I trust the most. And I am about to entrust you with the greatest of secrets."

She rose up to her full height.

"I do not know who killed my brother Jason, but I do know how to find them."

She pointed one perfectly manicured finger at Jughead.

"It all begins with you."

Kevin let out a low whistle.


	14. .14

The gang sat in a long drawn out silence. Kevin, of course, was the first one to break it.

"So you two knew?" gesturing to Betty and Jughead. They nodded.

"And Archie, you knew?" 

Archie nodded.

"Cheryl told me when she invited me here. Thought I should be informed," he lied.

Jughead arched an eyebrow at Archie. Nothing in that story made sense. 

"So what do we do?" Kevin asked.

Cheryl looked at all of them, her eyes lingering on Jughead. 

"We must draw out the murderer. This is a person who knows all too well how to cover their tracks, and clearly has the resources to do so. So, we unravel the secrets Jason left behind. I knew my brother, better than any sheriff ever could. He left clues for me. There is no way he would ever leave me alone with our parents. I have multiple leads. I propose we split up and investigate them," she commanded. The rest of them nodded. If anyone knew Jason Blossom, it was certainly Cheryl.

"Ok. Veronica and Kevin, you guys are in charge of finding out his every move at school. Befriend his friends. I know he left something at school. He was too important to that place to not leave anything behind."

She turned to face Archie and Betty.

"You two find out what my parents know. Get close to them, be the girl and boy next door. God knows they love that trope. Jughead and I will be paying a little visit to Polly Cooper, find out what she knows."

Betty bristled at the mention of her sister.

"If anyone should be allowed to go visit my sister it should be me," she argued.

"Your sister kept many secrets from you, which is why we're in the position we're now. If she didn't tell you then, what makes you think she would tell you know."

Jughead looked intensely at Betty. They didn't want to part with each other, much less leave Betty with Archie. But, Cheryl Blossom was in no mood to compromise. Betty eventually relented, silently fuming.

"You too will be the most influential to my parents," Cheryl stated. 

"You'll remind them of Jason and Polly Cooper."

She laughed.

"In fact, they despised Jason and Polly, didn't they?"

Beneath Cheryl teasing was a hint of a warning.

Mr and Mrs Blossom hated Jason and Polly. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------

The door of the car slammed behind Jughead. He had reassured Betty multiple times that he would message her every detail. That if anything happened, he would remember, that Polly was her sister. 

"Come on," Cheryl said, a frown of disdain on her ruby lips, as she started toward the building.

"It's time to meet our sister in law."


	15. .15

"Absolutely not."

Cheryl Blossom glared straight into the face of the group home worker, causing him to gulp fearfully. 

"You know who I am. You're smarter than this," Cheryl stated. The man's bottom quivered, but still, he held strong.

"No."

Cheryl sighed, as if this was merely a minor inconvenience. She reached into her purse and pulled out a stack of bills. She slammed the whole thing down on the table, smirked at the worker, and motioned Jughead to follow her through the doors.

"Wait, what?" Jughead asked, confused. Cheryl shrugged simply.

"He won't be stopping us, trust me. Now, Polly Cooper should be just through those doors," she answered.

They burst through two large doors, into what looked like a large rec room, one cunning and confident, the other, the epitome of old Hollywood hipster.

Polly Cooper glanced up and went shock still at the familiar shade of red. They spotted each other at the same time, Polly tearing her eyes away to focus on a spot on the floor, Jughead and Cheryl starting towards her.

\---------------------------------------------------------------

"I don't know anything please. Please," Polly Cooper beg. That only seemed to fuel Cheryl's rage.

"I'm going to ask you one more time," she slammed her fist on the table.

"Why was Jason trying to leave Riverdale? Where was he going to go?"

Polly flinched and Jughead intervened. He raised a hand at Cheryl, a gesture for her to stop.

"Ok, what about this. Did you love Jason?" he asked.

Slowly, she nodded.

"So much so that you would marry him?"

Again, she nodded.

"So much so that you would defy your parents and run away together?"

Polly's head whipped up, and she sat like a deer in headlights. She seemed to be going through a deep internal battle, until finally, she nodded.

"Jason Blossom was selling his things so that the both of you could run away, and leave Riverdale together. Is that correct?"

She nodded.

"What went wrong? Why didn't it work?" Jughead pushed.

Polly started to tremble. 

"B-because they found out. They caught us, and ripped us apart. They knew," she sobbed out.

"Knew what? Who?" Cheryl asked, hysterical now.

"Your parents. They found us. They knew. They knew about the baby."

\---------------------------------------------------------------

Betty Cooper was doing a very good job at ignoring Archie Andrews. It wasn't that he had done anything wrong per se, but she didn't know how to talk to him. So instead they sat in silence, all the way back to Riverdale.

They drove into the large mansion owned by the Blossom's and knocked on their huge doors.

It swung open.

"Enter," a voice said, so they did.

"Why hello."


	16. .16

"What does Riverdale's Blue and Gold want with our family, pray tell?" asked Penelope, her eyes narrowing into slits, but her smile still intact.

"We're covering the most influential families in Riverdale for our paper," replied Betty smoothly. Jughead had rubbed off on her. Penelope purses her lips. 

"What would you like to know?" 

"Well, let's start with the elephant in the room. How do you feel about the death of your son?"

Archie raised an eyebrow at Betty's brash attitude. This was so unlike her. Penelope's smile dropped.

"Get the hell off my property," she snarled, but Betty merely stood up.

"What did you do to my sister? What did you do to Jason?" Betty yelled back.

"Jason is none of your business. Jason was-"

"Where were you on the 4th of July?"

Penelope Blossom stopped, her cheeks flushed in fury, her eyes wide and deadly. 

"You better think twice about what you're suggesting," she pointed a trembling finger towards Betty.

"That was not the question. Where were you on the 4th of July?"

Betty could see Penelope's eyes flickering around restlessly, and practically taste the panic coming off of her.

"Why won't you answer me?" Betty asked, getting impatient. Archie came to stand between them. She held his hand out toward Betty.

"Hold on Betty, let's take a moment to breathe here," he tried to console.

"Let's calm down first."

But it was too late, and Penelope burst into tears, dropping down to her knees. 

"You don't understand anything, you stupid girl. You don't understand how hard I try, no one does. You don't understand how hard it is to be the perfect wife, the perfect mother. No matter what I do for him, I'll never measure up to that filthy woman," she sobbed.

"Who?"

"That bitch. Gladys Jones."

Archie and Betty looked at each other, neither able to form the right words to say. 

Betty turned around to question her further, when she noticed the makeup running off of Penelope Blossom's face. The foundation she had on was broken from the tears streaming down her cheeks. Underneath it, was an unmistakeable blue-purple. Just like a bruise. 

Penelope saw Betty staring and raised her hand to cover her face.

"Leave!" she screamed at them.

"Leave before I call the police!"

Archie and Betty ran out of the mansion, packing into the car and speeding off of the grounds. Betty unlocked her phone and dialled Jughead's number. He answered within the first two rings.

"Hello, Juggie? We have news."

\---------------------------------------------------------------

The gang were all crammed into a booth at Pop's. 

"The most we found out was that Jason was acting super strange on the 4th of July. By then, he had already isolated himself, and started hanging out with that creepy gang," reported Veronica.

Betty swallowed. She told them all of everything that had happened with Penelope Blossom. Betty felt terrible. As much as she hated Cheryl, she couldn't ignore the guilt at watching a tear slide down Cheryl's flawless cheek.

In turn, Cheryl spoke of Polly's pregnancy and what had happened before Jason's death. This had stunned them all into silence. Betty had long since buried her head into Jughead's chest. 

"We have to find Jughead's mom. That way we can all the different sides of the story," Kevin reasoned. They all nodded their head in agreement. Cheryl pulled out her phone tapping away, before looking up at all of them.

"I just booked us trips to Boston. Alert your parents, we're leaving in two days."

Betty and Jughead locked eyes.

Jughead gulped.


	17. .17

Jughead could not stop his hands from trembling. The entire plane ride to Boston had his hands tightly wind into Betty's, his face twisted with anxiety. He didn't know what would happen when he saw his mom. And, of course, Jellybean. His sweet, kind Jellybean. Betty, sensing his distress, and how tightly he was holding her hand, cradled his face, and brought him down for a kiss, which he immediately returned. There was something about Betty's steady warmth, her unwavering loyalty. He felt brave around Betty. He felt impossible. That's what he held onto, when the gang approached Room 67, the apartment where Gladys Jones was staying.

The gang turned to look at him, regarding his reaction, Betty leant against him in support. 'I'm here for you' her whole body seemed to exude. 'No matter what.'

So, with shaking hands, he ring the doorbell. They waited for a little while, before they heard the door begin to unlatch. It swung open, but instead of revealing the face of a woman in her late 40s, it was a little girl, a distinctive red bow perched upon an unruly mess of hair. She narrowed her eyes at these strangers, who all seemed frozen in shock, looking through them one by one, until she reached the tallest one, his eyes fixed on her, and grey crown beanie that was all too familiar. Of course, how could she forget.

"Juggie!" she screeched, leaping up into her beloved brother's arms.

"You came to see me."

Jughead swallowed the lump of emotion in his throat, and didn't even bother hiding the huge smile on his face.

"Jellybean, I've missed you too," he breathed, unable to say anything else. How long had he been waiting for this moment? It felt like a lifetime. 

Jellybean turned her head to look at a certain blonde, standing there with a proud smile, and watery eyes. A shot of familiarity went through her.

"Betty! You came too!" she cried, jumping from Jughead into Betty. Jughead remembered how Betty used to babysit Jellybean.

"Jellybean. How have you been sweetcakes?" Betty asked. Jellybean giggled at her old nickname, inspired by her favourite food.

"Better, now that you're here," burrowing down into Betty's neck, and a hand on Jughead's arm, just to make sure he wouldn't go away. 

She shifted her head and turned to look at the other people that Jughead and Betty had brought with them.

"Who are they?" she asked shyly.

"These are our friends. They're here-We're to see mom. Do you know where she is?" Jughead asked. Jellybean nodded. She turned to call out for her mother, but as luck would have it, Gladys came padding out, her whole body frozen at the sight of the teenagers in front of her.

Especially the boy with the face as cold as ice, and the girl with hair like fire.

"Mom. Long time no see."

\---------------------------------------------------------------

They were spread out on the tiny living room. Gladys had offered them all some water, but they refused. Her eyes kept flickering between her son, and Cheryl Blossom.

"What brings you to Boston?" she asked, her voice wavering.

"Jason, my dear brother, is dead. What do you know about it?" Cheryl replied angry and blunt.

"Cheryl, please," Archie interferred.

"Oh, well, I'm very sorry to hear that. Unfortunately I don't know very much about it," replied with wide eyes.

Lies. Jughead knew his mother, despite not having seen her for a few years. She used that face when she told his "father" that she wasn't going to leave him.

"Polly Cooper is pregnant, it's Jason's. Did you know that too?" Cheryl probed.

"No, how would I? I haven't seen Riverdale in years," she stuttered in reply.

"Do you love your son?" Veronica's asked suddenly. Gladys eyebrows raised defensively.

"Of course I love my son," she replied immediately. 

"Then why did you leave him behind?"

Gladys couldn't reply.

"I'ved all of my life as a rich girl. This means, that I've lived my whole life around rich people. I can recognise wealth a hundred miles away, so riddle me this? It's 10am in a Monday, and vacation is only for students. Which means you're not going to work. Now, normally this wouldn't make me blink an eye, but I can't help but notice you live in a very nice part of te city. In this apartment no less? Now, how does a single mother afford that? And that uniform that hanging over there? That's a highly prestigious school. The fees are well in the hundred thousands. Everything in this apartment screams luxury. Those bags, your clothes, and don't you dare think I don't notice that expensive manicure. If you can afford all this, then there can be no reason why you didn't bring Jughead to Boston with you," she smirked.

"My father is Hiram Lodge. I know what a bribe looks like."

Gladys looked like a deer caught in headlights.

"Does your father know you're here Cheryl?" she turned.

"No, does he know you're here. In fact, he's the one that put you here isn't he? Without Jughead specifically. You know Gladys, why does he want Jughead in Riverdale?" 

Gladys broke what little composure she had before.

"Leave now. Right now."


	18. .18

After the entire fiasco in Boston, the had all gone their seperate ways until such time that Cheryl would call them back again. With kisses dropped on Jellybean's cheeks and tears in her eyes, Jellybean had relented, and let them go (but not without making them promise that they would be back). 

Cheryl had disappeared, to her cave where she had an army of private investigators enslaved, Jughead joked. Archie had disappeared into the music room, his own personal sanctuary, and Kevin and Veronica were shopping so much, they were to exhausted to even think about the truths recently brought into the light. Betty and Jughead were refamiliarising themselves with each other, relearning each others' body, they way their heartbeat thrummed, and the stars in each other's eyes. They lay tangled in Betty's bed, murmuring soft confessions into each other's hair. Jughead ducked his head to look Betty in the eyes, their lips merely brushing.

"Betty?"

"Yes Juggie?"

"I love you."

And he did. He loved her more than he loved the words that danced around in his head, the worlds he created with his mind. He loved her more than food, albeit delicious, could never make him feel the way Betty did. He lay there, heart bared to the only girl he ever loved, waiting for her response.

Betty pulled him in for a long, open mouthed kiss. 

"I love you too."

Of course she did. Jughead was the first and only person to not expect her to be 'kind Betty, the sweet girl next door'. She had always despised that title; it made her seem so two dimensional. But Jughead had accepted her dark side, after all he had one too. 

Jughead smiled so big, so great that Betty couldn't look away if she tried. After all, such was the mannerisms of two young people in love. 

Jughead wrapped his arms around Betty, winding his arms around her tight.

"Please. Say it again."

"I love you Jughead."

She began to pepper kisses all over his face. Stopping after every kiss to whisper those three simple words that held them suspending in the unending chaos of their lives. 

A buzz on Betty's phone brought them from their happy escape, back to reality. It was Cheryl.

\---------------------------------------------------------------

Gladys fingered the envelope, a familiar one that had kept her and her son apart for so long. When before she would've ripped it open, relieved at the contents, now she only felt apprehensive. But temptation, and perhaps a touch of greediness won out, and so she tore it open. In it, a cheque, one she received monthly. However, this time there was something else too, a plane ticket. For one, back to Riverdale.


	19. .19

"We must take the initiative. Enough with playing Sherlock, we have to take action," Cheryl proposed. 

"And how exactly are we going to do that?" asked Kevin, skeptical.

"We go old school, by setting a trap. That way, we can narrow down our suspects, and see who really has something to hide in Riverdale."

Cheryl floated around the room, ethereal in her white cotton dress.

"We set bait. Pretend we know something. Then, we wait for them to come to us."

"How are we going to get word to everyone in Riverdale? We can't exactly go knocking down the doors of everyone who lives here," Veronica questioned. Cheryl rolled her eyes.

"Of course I know that, I have thought this through you know. Everyone knows the easiest place to start a rumour is at Riverdale High School. And the most sure fire way to make sure it gets around to everyone?" she cocked an eyebrow.

"Why, at the pep rally of course."

\---------------------------------------------------------------

Betty had to admit, Cheryl was kind of a genius. The pep rally was packed with people, and all they had to do was talk a little loudly. Betty recalled the wide eyed, shocked looks of people rushing off to tell their parents or friends the juicy gossip that they had 'overheard'. 

"Yeah, I can't believe Cheryl knows who did it. Apparently she's going to tell us when we go to her place on Saturday. That's right, at 11:00am sharp. That's what she said," Betty said loudly, staging a faux coversation with Veronica.

"Ok girls. In about three hours, the whole town will have heard. Let's get started with the routine," Cheryl ordered.

She had on Jason's letterman jacket, hugging her small frame; Veronica had Archie's. It was tradition for a member of the Vixens to wear a jacket during pep rally nights. Betty used to wear Archie's, but hadn't done so in a while. 

In the corner of her eye, she spotted Jughead leaning against the bleachers watching with a small smile on his face. She beamed and rushed over to him. She jumped into his arms and he caught her, spinning her round and round. 

Jughead dropped a kiss on Betty's head.

"Good luck tonight," he murmured into her ear. Betty smiled, burrowing into his chest.

"Thanks."

Suddenly, he broke apart from her, reaching into his bag and pulling out a sweater. 

"I don't actually have one of those letterman jackets, but I was wondering if you could do me the honour of wearing this," he revealed the sweater, with a familiar 'S' on it. Betty gasped. She knew this sweater. It had been his grandfather's, given to him before he passed. He wore it everyday in 7th grade. Now, he was offering it to her to wear, this precious possession. She bit her lip and nodded fervently, pulling the oversized sweater on. Jughead blushed.

"You look beautiful."

\---------------------------------------------------------------

They were all gathered in the Blossom family room at 10:30 on the Saturday.

"What happens now?" Kevin asked.

"We wait," Jughead answered.

The doorbell rang.

"Well we didn't have to wait for long. Quick get in the closet," Cheryl gestured to a cloak room, which they all rushed into.

Cheryl hurried to the door, smoothed out her dress, and opened it.

"Well, hello Mr Weatherbee."


	20. .20

"Mr Weatherbee, please, come in," Cheryl offered, ever the gracious hostess.

Betty placed her hand over her mouth to stop herself from gasping.

"How can I help you sir?"

Mr Weatherbee took his hat off, cherry smile still fixed on his face.

"Well, I am so sorry to trouble you this early, but, as you know, it is my duty as principle of the school to get to the bottom of things that may cause trouble for the other students. What I'm trying to say is, there is a rumour going around town that you know who the killer of your late brother is. This, of course can cause a lot of implications for the school if it is anything, but a rumour. You understand, hm?"

Cheryl raised an eyebrow. 

"And if I were to say that it echoed truth? What would happen then?" she probed.

He took a gulp.

"Miss Blossom, my school has been under a lot of fire recently, first a murder then my son-" he choked, eyes shining slightly. He took a breath to steady himself.

"Please, Miss Blossom. The school cannot take anymore bad press. The teenage population of Riverdale is getting small enough as it is. If you know something, anything, let me know, so I can contain the damage as best as I can."

Cheryl, crossed her legs and pondered over a long minute. 

"I don't anything Mr Weatherbee. It's just some silly rumour devised by some bored townsmen," she said eventually. Mr Weatherbee heaved a visible sigh of relief.

"Ok good. Well, I must be off now. Thank you for this," he shook her hand, before putting on his hat and leaving.

The gang burst out of the cramped closet.

"Not going in there again," Kevin promised in between breaths.

"Well," Archie resigned.

"It wasn't him. I guess we're back to square one?"

Jughead was about to respond, when the sound of an engine interrupted them.

"Quick! Back in the closet," Veronica commanded, ignoring Kevin's groan. 

They crammed back into the closet, as the Blossom main front door was opening.

"Cheryl," a loud voice boomed.

"You, young lady have a lot of explaining to do."

Cheryl's eyes shot open, looking at the tiny crack in the closet door to find her expression mirrored back at her.

However, she was still Cheryl Blossom, and she would never let them them see her lie (!). 

"Daddy."


End file.
